Sayt started taking heroin when he was 14 and has many friends who have died from overdoses. He tries to count them off on his fingers, but he runs out.

"It's hard to have a friend die in your arms," he says. "But there is nothing I can do."

Sayt is now 19, but looks much younger because heroin has stunted his growth. His wife, who is only 13 years old, does not use drugs, but Sayt's habit also poses health risks for her. Only 6 per cent of...more »

Sayt started taking heroin when he was 14 and has many friends who have died from overdoses. He tries to count them off on his fingers, but he runs out.

"It's hard to have a friend die in your arms," he says. "But there is nothing I can do."

Sayt is now 19, but looks much younger because heroin has stunted his growth. His wife, who is only 13 years old, does not use drugs, but Sayt's habit also poses health risks for her. Only 6 per cent of Albanians use condoms. If Sayt gets HIV or hepatitis, she will probably be infected, too.

Albania's HIV epidemic is concentrated among injecting drug users and other high-risk groups, but has the potential to spread into the rest of the population. The NGO Stop AIDS, supported by UNICEF, offers information and health services to heroin addicts in the capital Tirana to reduce their chances of becoming infected.« less